Giving the latest Dungeons and Dragons books the sort of review they deserve is a daunting prospect. For a gaming supplement to be any good, it can’t just be a good read, it also has to work well on the table top and be worth the time of both the Dungeon Master and the players. Thus far, all of the books for the fifth edition of the game have been staggeringly good, and Princes of the Apocalypse is no exception.

Inspired by the classic Temple of Elemental Evil adventure, Princes is not just a straightforward adventure. Rather it’s a collection of resources, ideas and inspiration that can either be played straight or tinkered with endlessly to suit the needs of your campaign. Though non-linear in structure, the various scenarios are well structured and thought out. What begins as a simple investigation of a missing person slowly but surely spins out into a series of rather epic dungeons crawls. We found that no matter how awkward the players, there was always something in the book that let you get the plot back on track without making it feel too forced.

As stories go, it’s your typical ‘hoard of evil lunatics’ plot, with an elemental twist and nicely diverse band of horrible things for the players to fight. The book also includes a new playable race; the Genasi, a whole pile of new spells and plenty of magic items. The main scenario makes the (entirely reasonable) assumption that you’re running a Forgotten Realms campaign. Luckily, for those of you who like their fantasy worlds a bit more interesting, they are also extensive notes on how to adapt the scenario to any of the other established Dungeons and Dragons settings. In addition, the book contains suggestions on how to fit it into your home brew game.

It’s as pretty and as well laid out as you’d expect from a Wizards of the Coast product; Dungeons and Dragons is no longer a sanctuary for dull and clichéd fantasy art; rather it serves as a showcase as to how these things should be done. Yet again, Fifth Edition D&D has knocked it out of the park, and we hope that the standard remains just as high in the years to come.

INFO: PRINCES OF THE APOCALYPSE / AUTHOR: WIZARDS RPG TEAM / PUBLISHER: WIZARDS OF THE COAST / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW